This Copycat Cracker Barrel Fried Apples recipe is sweet, buttery, and full of warm cinnamon flavor. The apples are cooked until soft and caramelized, just like the ones from Cracker Barrel! Enjoy them as a side dish, dessert, or topping for pancakes and waffles.
Jump to RecipeIngredients Needed:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 golden delicious apples
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
How To Make Fried Apples?
- Melt the butter: Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted.
- Add the apples: Place apple slices evenly in the skillet and drizzle with lemon juice.
- Sweeten the apples: Sprinkle brown sugar and salt over the apples.
- Cook until soft: Cover the skillet, lower the heat, and let the apples cook for about 15 minutes until tender and juicy.
- Add spices: Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples, then gently stir to coat.
- Serve and enjoy: Add extra lemon juice if desired and serve warm.

Recipe Tips:
- Use the right apples: Golden Delicious apples give the best soft and sweet texture. If you like a slight tartness, mix in Granny Smith apples. Avoid apples that turn mushy, like Red Delicious.
- Cut apples evenly: Slice apples into ¼-inch thick pieces so they cook evenly. If they are too thick, they won’t soften properly, and if too thin, they may become too soft or mushy.
- Cook on low heat: Cooking on low heat with a lid helps the apples become tender without burning. If the heat is too high, the sugar can caramelize too quickly, leaving the apples hard in the center.
- Stir gently: Stir the apples occasionally but don’t overmix. Too much stirring can break the apples apart, making them mushy instead of soft and slightly firm.
- Adjust sweetness and spice: Taste the apples before serving and adjust the brown sugar and cinnamon if needed. Some apples are naturally sweeter, so you may need less sugar, while a pinch of extra cinnamon can enhance the flavor.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the Fried Apples cool first. Then, put them in a sealed container and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: After cooling, place the apples in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Heat a skillet over low heat and add the Fried Apples. Stir gently and cook for a few minutes until warm.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 78 kcal
- Total Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
- Sodium: 88mg
- Potassium: 9mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 7g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 6g
- Protein: 0g
Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings5
minutes15
minutes78
kcalThis Copycat Cracker Barrel Fried Apples recipe is sweet, buttery, and full of warm cinnamon flavor. The apples are cooked until soft and caramelized, just like the ones from Cracker Barrel! Enjoy them as a side dish, dessert, or topping for pancakes and waffles.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
4 golden delicious apples
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Directions
- Melt the butter: Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted.
- Add the apples: Place apple slices evenly in the skillet and drizzle with lemon juice.
- Sweeten the apples: Sprinkle brown sugar and salt over the apples.
- Cook until soft: Cover the skillet, lower the heat, and let the apples cook for about 15 minutes until tender and juicy.
- Add spices: Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples, then gently stir to coat.
- Serve and enjoy: Add extra lemon juice if desired and serve warm.
Notes
- Use the right apples: Golden Delicious apples give the best soft and sweet texture. If you like a slight tartness, mix in Granny Smith apples. Avoid apples that turn mushy, like Red Delicious.
- Cut apples evenly: Slice apples into ¼-inch thick pieces so they cook evenly. If they are too thick, they won’t soften properly, and if too thin, they may become too soft or mushy.
- Cook on low heat: Cooking on low heat with a lid helps the apples become tender without burning. If the heat is too high, the sugar can caramelize too quickly, leaving the apples hard in the center.
- Stir gently: Stir the apples occasionally but don’t overmix. Too much stirring can break the apples apart, making them mushy instead of soft and slightly firm.
- Adjust sweetness and spice: Taste the apples before serving and adjust the brown sugar and cinnamon if needed. Some apples are naturally sweeter, so you may need less sugar, while a pinch of extra cinnamon can enhance the flavor.